Posted by Jason on December 15, 1999 at 15:35:57:
In Reply to: Re: Another heretical essay for U posted by Dave on December 15, 1999 at 14:06:44:
: : : "The Latest Vatican Statement on Christianity and Other Religions" by John Hick. Please read and give feedback, good or bad. : : I read. I offer feedback... : Jason, : You identified yourself as a Christocentric inclusivist (the "Interesting Theologian"). I have for years held that position as well. But I have to admit to finding the view of the Accurate Reporter to be an attractive one. Actually, I feel a great deal of ambivalence about this issue; I'm reluctant to "abandon" Christ as the mediator between God and man, and yet I've always (for a long time, at least) been plagued by the question, "How can I believe that the God who created this vast universe chose to reveal Himself only to a small country on the coast of the Mediterranean, effectively ignoring the rest of the world?" I have to confess to having great problems with this exclusivist view. And the inclusivist view (Interesting Theologian) offers some relief, but not much. The inclusivist still maintains that those who are saved in other religions are saved by Christ alone. And Hick asks the pointed question, "... any Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Taoist, etc. who deliberately adheres to his or her own faith, although well aware of the Church's claims, is presumably culpable of not belonging to the Church. What, then, is their fate?" : The inclusivist position, while allowing for the possibility that eternal life may be granted to sincere "heathen", rules out the possibility that any of those souls can enjoy God's abundant life in the Here and Now. I , for one, find it difficult to consider the Dalai Lama estranged from God. His holiness and love are too evident. From whence come they, if not from God? If I read your letter correctly, you have some ambivalence about this as well. : Interesting question - "How can I believe that the God who created this vast universe chose to reveal Himself only to a small country on the coast of the Mediterratnean, effectively ignoring the rest of the world?" Can God reveal Himself to other, remote peoples? Is that God the Native American Indians serve the same as my God? Did my own earthly father, who rejected Catholocism (and religion as a whole) experience a Christ-less salvation prior to his death (or did he even experience a Christian salvation)? If he died Christ-less, where does traditional Christianity stand in regards to his fate? I have to defer to the bible for a moment: John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man can come to the Father except by me." (Scripture quoted from memory - I don't have a bible in front of me, but you get the point). Pre-critical translation of this (i.e. Absolute Dogmatist) would send my father to hell. Based on Hick's essay alone, I'm not sure what the Interesting Theologian might have to say. My stance, based purely on God's primary characteristic - Love - is that something happens after death, after the spirit is stripped of flesh. Somehow an individual is able to become him/her self-essence. It is at this point that we are truly "saved." Salvation is a process which is only truly fulfilled after physical death. Where does this put me in terms of inclusivism or exclusivism? My Father loves me. He loves you. He loves my father. His methods are beyond my ability to perceive, but His love for me fills the cup of my understanding. My thoughts on this are that everyone will have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ as he is (or as much as our spiritual selves will be able to comprehend). Just like Aslan accepted the services of the young Calormen as unto Himself (The Last Battle - Chronicles of Narnia), so, too, I feel that Jesus has "last rights" to claim our souls... Jason
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: I think the reason Hick didn't explore the view of the Accurate Reporter is that he is himself arguing from that position. Hick is a theocentric (also known as unitive) pluralist. He has written many books defending this position.